[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR12.150]

[Page 193-194]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
               CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
 
PART 12_NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR 
ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY--
 
Sec. 12.150  Program accessibility: Existing facilities.

    (a) General. The agency shall operate each program or activity so 
that the program or activity, when viewed in its entirety, is readily 
accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps. This paragraph 
does not--

[[Page 194]]

    (1) Necessarily require the agency to make each of its existing 
facilities accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps; or
    (2) Require the agency to take any action that it can demonstrate 
would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or 
activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. In those 
circumstances where agency personnel believe that the proposed action 
would fundamentally alter the program or activity or would result in 
undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency has the burden of 
proving that compliance with Sec. 12.150(a) would result in such 
alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such 
alteration or burdens must be made by the agency head or designee after 
considering all agency resources available for use in the funding and 
operation of the conducted program or activity, and must be accompanied 
by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If 
an action would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the agency 
shall take any other action that would not result in such an alteration 
or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that individuals with 
handicaps receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.
    (b) Methods. The agency may comply with the requirements of this 
section through such means as redesign of equipment, reassignment of 
services to accessible buildings, assignment of aides to beneficiaries, 
home visits, delivery of services at alternate accessible sites, 
alteration of existing facilities and construction of new facilities, 
use of accessible rolling stock, or any other methods that result in 
making its programs or activities readily accessible to and usable by 
individuals with handicaps. The agency is not required to make 
structural changes in existing facilities where other methods are 
effective in achieving compliance with this section. The agency, in 
making alterations to existing buildings, shall meet accessibility 
requirements to the extent compelled by the Architectural Barriers Act 
of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), and any regulations 
implementing it. In choosing among available methods for meeting the 
requirements of this section, the agency shall give priority to those 
methods that offer programs and activities to qualified individuals with 
handicaps in the most integrated setting appropriate.
    (c) Time period for compliance. The agency shall comply with the 
obligations established under this section by November 13, 1987, except 
that where structural changes in facilities are undertaken, such changes 
shall be made by September 14, 1990, but in any event as expeditiously 
as possible.
    (d) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities will be undertaken to achieve program accessibility, the 
agency shall develop, by March 14, 1988, a transition plan setting forth 
the steps necessary to complete such changes. The agency shall provide 
an opportunity to interested persons, including individuals with 
handicaps or organizations representing individuals with handicaps to 
participate in the development of the transition plan by submitting 
comments (both oral and written). A copy of the transition plan shall be 
made available for public inspection. The plan shall, at a minimum--
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the agency's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to individuals 
with handicaps;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
compliance with this section and, if the time period of the transition 
plan is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during 
each year of the transition period; and
    (4) Indicate the official responsible for implementation of the 
plan.